Railway car



W. E. WINE RAILWAY CAR Oct. 31, 1933,

Filed March 18, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l W. E. WINE RAILWAY CAR Oct. 31,1933.

Filed vMarch 18 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 @Sv h mmm h SW1/tot Nm, WM, R,

Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNIT en STATES PATENr OFFICE 1,932,'II&

RAILWAY CAR William E'. Wine, Toledo, Ohio Application MarchL 18, 1929..Serial No. 348,081

34 Claims.

My invention relates to railway cars and more particularly to closuresor doors employed in atbottom gondola cars and the like.

A princi-pal object or' the invention is to provide a closure for thelading discharge opening of a railway car which is of ruggedconstruction and may be easily operated by a trainman.v

A principal feature of the invention consists in integrally forming theclosure with a plurality of substantially parallel reinforcing membersorflanges.

Another feature of the. invention resides vin constructing the closurewith a plurality ofv substantially parallel reinforcing members and withf a member connecting said reinforcing members viding means interlockingsaid sections so as to prevent them from moving away from each otheralong their hinge axes.

@ther and more specific features of the inventien residing inadvantageous forms and combinations of parts will hereinafter appear andbe pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred erncodiment of the invention:

Figure 1 is a iragmentary plan view of a flatbottoni gondola railwaycar.

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of that por# tion of the carconstruction illustrated in Figure 1.

3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3, Figure l.

Figure 4 is a plan view, partly inV section, illustrating portions ofthe closure.

Figure 5 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken online 5-5, Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken" on line 6-6, Figure l.

7 is a fragmentary plan View illustrating the manner in which thesections comprising the closure are interlocked.

Figure 8 is a sectionalview taken on line 8 8, Figure '7'.

(Cl. 10S-280) Figure 9 is an elevational view of the constructionillustrated in Figure 7.

VFigure 10 is a perspective view of the door arm.

Figure 11' isV a view corresponding to Figure. 'T

illustrating a. modified. construction for interlocking the closuresections.

Figure IZ is an elevational view of the construction illustrated inFigure 11.

As the type of car chosen for illustrating thev invention is. of thewell-known nat-bottom gon- 05 dola type only portions of the carstruction have been shown and' it is to be understood' that thestructure illustrated is duplicated on the. opposite side of the car;

Referring more particularly to the drawingsA 1 7 Y indicates one of theside members of the center sill'y and 2 the usual top cover-plate.thereof. The car floor 3` which is spaced above the center silll isvpreferably of sheet metal and may be formed with any number of openings4, only one of which is illustrated, through which the lading. of thecar may be discharged. At the opposite sides of the car the floor isrespectively secured by rivets 5 to the lower inwardly projecting ange 6of' the channelV shaped side sills 7i, The 'car sides 8G" may beconveniently formed with metal plates or sheets 8- secured inoverlapping relation to' the outer face of the side sill in any suitablemanner (not shown).

The lading discharge opening 4v may be closed- 85' by a door or closure9 hingedly connected to the car so as to swing to open position underthe influence of gravity. In order to permit the type of car illustratedto be quickly emptied of its contents it is the usual practice to makethe di-scharge openings relatively large. Correspondingly large closuresmust therefore be employed which, due to their weight, requireconsiderable effort on the part of trainmen to raise them to closedposition. Especially is 'this true when castv doors are employed. Toovercome this difficulty each ofthe closures is preferably made in twosections l0 and'll, respectively, the sections being of suchA size andweight that they may be easily operated and being so arranged andrelated that they in effect act as position.

Each of the sections is preferably made ofv cast steel and is formedwith downwardly proone door when in operative jecting marginal flanges12. The marginal 105.

anges at the side edges of each section .and that one at ther hinged orinner edge thereof terminate'n inwardly projecting ilanges 13, whilekthe marginal flange at the outer or free edge of the door terminates inan outwardly projecting flange 13. Thus the side and inner edges of thesections are in efect channel shaped and the outer edge thereofZ-shaped.

Rigidly secured to the center sill are a plurality of brackets 14 forhingedly connecting the closure to the car, each of the brackets beingformed with a base-plate 15 and upwardly projecting side flanges 16. Thebase-plate of each bracket is suitably apertured to receive rivets 17for connecting them ,to the center sill. The side flanges of each of thebrackets are fashioned with inwardly projecting hub portions 18 whichare spaced apart a suitable distance to receive lugs 19 with which theclosure sections are formed. The hub portions 18, side flanges 16 andbase plate 15 of the brackets may conveniently be reinforced by anupwardly extending web 20. Each of the hinge lugs 19 comprises a hubportion 21 connected to the marginal flange at the lwith a flange 24projecting beyond the inner side marginal flange thereof in the plane ofthe main body portion of the section. This ilange 24 overlappinglyengages the upper surface of `the section 10 adjacent its inner sideedge, the

overlapped portion of the latter section lbeing depressed or recessed asat 25r tc receive the flange so that the upper surfaces of -the twosections will be disposed in substantially the same plane when in closedor operativeposition. In order that the plane of the top surfaces of thesections may coincide with that of thetop surface of the floor theportions of the .former adjacent its marginal edgesgaredepressed as at 26 to receive in overlapping relation neighboring portions of the floorandrside sill. Thusit will be seen that since the adjoining edges of thedoor are in overlapping relation and that the portions of the floor andside sill defining the lading discharge vopening overlie adjacentportions of the closure, the lading within the car is effectuallyprevented from accidentally escaping therefrom.

The outer face of each door section may be advantageouslyintegrallyformed with a plurality of parallelv reinforcing members or flanges. 27

which are disposed inwardly of the side mar. Vginal flanges and arepreferably normal to the,-

hinge axis thereof. These flanges 27 are disposed inrplanesintersectingthe hinge lugs 19 and in order to rigidify the latter the anges areformed with downwardly projecting extensions 28. Since the reinforcingyflanges extend continuously `from the inner or hinged edge of eachsection tov-the outer or free edge thereof they serve to efectually tietogether the marginal flanges of the sections at those points. Adjacenttheir outerkrends the ilangesare` connected or tied together by areinforcing member 29 which is disposed inwardly of thefree edge of thedoor. This member is of angular shape having a portion 30 substantiallynormal vto the plane of the section and a flange 31 substantiallyparallel thereto, the bottom surface of the latter being disposed in theplane of the lower edge of the reinforcing flanges 27 which projectdownwardly from the door a distance equal to that ofthe marginal flanges12. Intermediate the reinforcing flanges 27 and substantially at themidpoint of the connecting member 29, each section is also preferablyintegrally formed with a flange 32. This flange extends only from theconnecting member 29 to the marginal flange at the free edge of the doorand, in addition to serving as means for connecting these portions ofthe sections, serves as means to which a door arm 33 may be secured.

vThe door arms 33 are offset intermediate their ends to pass beneath andoutwardly beyond the marginal flange at the free edges of the sectionsand each is substantially channel shaped having a top flange 34, anintermediate or web portion 35 and a bottom flange 36. At its inner endthe web 35 is apertured to receive rivets 37 for attaching it to thecenter reinforcing flange 32. The top flange 34 has portions 38 and 39disposed in spaced planes and connected by an inclined portion 40, theportion 38 being apertured to receive rivets 41 for attaching it to themain portion of the door section and the portion 39 is apertured toreceive a rivet 42 for attaching it to the outwardly projecting flange13'. The portion of the flange 13 adjacent the door arm is preferablyenlarged to afford suflicient metal for receiving the rivet withoutweakening the action of the flange 13vas a reinforcing flange.Projecting from the side of the web 35 opposite to that of the flanges34 and 36 is an angular bracket having flanges 43 and 44, the flange 43being disposed in the same plane as that of the outer portion 39 of theflange 34 and being apertured toireceive a rivet 45 which serves asadditional means for securing the outwardly projecting portion of thedoor arm to the section. The flange 44, in addition to a function to behereinafter described, serves to strengthen the flange 43. The topflange 34 may likewise be strengthened by a portion or rib 46 which isin alinement with and in effect constitutes a prolongation of the flange44. At its outer end the bottom ange 36 of the door arm is tied to theupper flange 34 thereof by an end wall 47 while at its inner end itmerges into the web 35.

Pivotally mounted upon the side of the car are hooks 48 having aplurality of ledges 49 and 50, respectively,l adapted to cooperate withthe portion 39 of the top flange 34 of the door arm to support thesections in partially closed or fully closed positions. Overlying theouter face of each of t e hooks is a cover-plate 51 rigidly secured tothe car by rivets 52 and 53 and 54 which pass through the cover-plate,side sheets 8 and side sill V7. The rivet 52 forms a pivotal support forthe hook and the one designated 53 forms-a pivotal support for a lockingcam 55 which is interposed between the side sill and cover-plate forcooperating with the hook to prevent the latter from accidentally movingto unlocked position.

As considerable difficulty is often experienced in causing dump doors ofrailways cars to assume a fully closed position due to the distortion ofthe doors and their associated parts, the cover plate 51 may be formedwith an outwardly projecting lug or flange 56 which is apertured as at57 to receive a removable lever 53. In closing either one of thesections it may be raised to a position such that the ledge 49 of itsassociated hook will engage the flange 34 of the door arm to mainu tainand support the section in a preliminary or partial position of closure.The lever may then be inserted through the aperture 57 into engagementwith the under surface of the flange 34 and then caused to rotate on thecover plate as a fulcrurn point to force the section into a positionsuch that the ledge of the hook may engage the 34 to support the door ina final or fully closed position. To obtain an increased leverage foreasily and conveniently raising the door from an open to a partiallyclosed position the ange le or the bracket on the door arm is fashionedwith an aperture 59 for receiving a removable lever 60. This lever isalso adapted to cooperate with the outer edge of the nange 43 oi the.bracket which is preferably formed with a bead or Vrib 6l to afford asuitable bearing for the lever. Should itnot be convenient to employ thelever 60 in thisrnanner a lever 62 may be used for the saine purpose bycooperating with the ange 31 of the connecting. member 29 and the loweredge of the marginal flange at the free edge of the door. While thelevers 60 and 62 are primarily intended for use in moving the sectionsfrom open to partially kclosed position it will, of course, beappreciated that should it be unnecessary to make use of the mechanicaladvantage obtained by employing the lever 58 that these levers may alsobe used to move the door from partially to fully closed position. Thusit will be seen that the sections may be moved from open to fully closedposition by the -use of either ci the levers 6G and 62 or bythe combineduse of either one oi these levers and the lever 58. While the leversemployed have been designated by different reference numerals it will,of course, be understood that the construction of each is the saine andthe form of lever employed and for which the parts have been designed tocooperate is the usual pry or crow bar employed in railway service.

En order to prevent the sections of the closure irom moving away fromeach other in the direction of their hinge axes, means is preferablyprovided for interlocking them. The desired manner of interlocking thesections is illustrated in Figures 7 to 9 inclusive. In this form of theinvention the outer corner of the section 10 adj'acent the other sectionof the closure is formed with an aperture or recess 63 for receiving adownwardly projecting lug or boss 64 formed on the under surface of theside ilange 24 of the section 1l. To rigidify the outer end of the ange2.4 the section ll fashioned with a laterally projecting ange 55 which,in effect, constitutes a prolongation of the outer marginal flange 12 ofthe section 11. The outer marginal harige of the section 1G isrecessedas at 66 to receive `the lange 65 so that the latter and the' outermarginal iianges of both sections will be disposed in su stantially thesame plane. The adjoining edges ci the flange 65 and the recessedportions 65 may be, if desired, inclined `as clearly shown in Figure 9.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figures 11 and l2the front edge of the section 10 is formed with ,a rib or projection 67adapted to extend into a recess 68 formed on the inner face of the ofthe flange 69 which projects ally from the section 11. This ilange 69.ii-ies the outer end ci the iiange 24 and overtheoutwardly projectingportion 13' of the outer marginal flange 13 of the section 10.

f den it is desired to discharge the lading w the car, the sections ofeach closure may be causedto move to open position either separately orsimultaneously. In causing them to move separately the'hook supportingthe section lo" will iirst be moved to an inoperative positionpermitting that section to swing downwardly and then the hook supportingthe section 11 may be moved to a similar position permitting thatsection to swing open. When it is desired to cause the sections to opensimultaneously the supporting hook of section llfis irst moved to aninoperative position butV due to the fact that the ange 24thereof is inengagement with the top surface of the section 10', that sectionfunctions to support the section 1l in an elevated position. When,however, the hook supporting section 10 is moved to an inoperativeposition both of the sections will then simultaneously swing open. Inthe door closing operation it will, of course, be appreciated that it isalwaysnecessary to movev the section l1 to closed position before thesection l0 due to the disposition of the overlapping portions of thesections.

From the foregoing it will be evident that the closure, although made intwosections, lfunctions when in closed position as a unitary door andthat the sections are so constructed and reinforced that they willeffectively withstand the severe surface conditions to which they arenormally subjected.

I claim: Y

1`. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for saidV kopening integrally formed with'a marginalange adjacent its inner edge and with a plurality of hinge lugs disposedinwardly of said ange, the latter terminating in an inwardly projectingportion spaced from the main body of the closure, and a plurality ofreinforcing members formed integrally with theclosure and respectivelyextending from said hinge lugs to the opposite edge of the closure.

2.`In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening integrally formed with a plurality cireinforcing members disposed inwardly of and substantially parallel withits side edges and being also integrally formed with a member connectingsaid reinorcinginembers, said connecting member being disposed inwardlyof the free edge of theclosure and being fashioned with a plurality ofangularly disposed portions, one of which'is substantially paralleltothe plane of the closure. v

3.l In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening integrally formed with a plurality'oispaced substantially parallel reinforcing members and with an angularlyshaped member connecting said reinforcing members, said connectingmember being disposed inwardly of the free edge of the closure and beingadapted to cooperate with a removable closure operating lever.

4. Ina railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedly mountedclosure for said opening integrally formed with a plurality ofsubstantially parallel'reiniorcing members and with a member connectingeach of said reinforcing members, one of said reinforcing members beingdisposed substantially midway between the side edges of the closure, andan arm rigidly secured to saidlast-named member andprojectingbeyond'adjacentportions of the car side for coopcrating with mechanismto support the closure in operative position.

5. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening having marginal flanges and integrallyformed with a plurality of reinforcing members and with a memberconnecting said reinforcing members, said closure being also integrallyformed with a member intermediate said reinforcing members and extendingbetween said connecting member and the marginal flange at the free edgeof the closure, and means rigidly secured to said intermediate memberand extending beyond the free edge of the closure for cooperating withmechanism carried by the car to support the closure in operativeposition.

6. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening integrally formed with a plurality ofreinforcing members and with a member connecting said reinforcingmembers, said connecting member extending on opposite sides of anddisposed at the inner end of one of said reinforcing members, and an armsecured to said last-named reinforcing member and projecting beyondadjacent portions of the car side for cooperating with mechanism carriedby the car body to support the closure in operative position.

7. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening integrally formed with a plurality ofreinforcing members and with a member adjacent the free edge of theclosure connecting'sa'id reinforcing members, said closure being alsointegrally formed with a member extending between said connecting memberand the free edge of the closure adapted to receive an arm forcooperating with mechanism for` supporting the closure in operativeposition.

8. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening having marginal flanges and integrallyformed with a plurality of reinforcing members and with a memberconnecting said reinforcing members, said connecting member beingdisposed inwardly of and adjacent the marginal flange at the free edgeof the closure and being fashioned to support the linner end of aremovable closure operating lever, said lever when in operative positionbeing also engageable `with the marginal flange at the free edge of thedoor.

9. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure' for said opening, an arm carried byv the closure, andmeans carried by the car body for cooperating with the arm to supportthe closure in operative position, said arm being integrally formed witha lug for cooperating with a removable closure operating lever.

10. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening, an arm carried by the closure havingoppositely projecting flanges, one of said flanges being cooperable withmeans carried by the car body for supporting the closure in operativeposition and the other of said flanges being cooperable with a removableclosure operating lever.

11. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening having at its free edge an outwardlyprojecting flange, and an arm carried by the closure and havingoppositely projecting anges secured to the said flange on the closure,one of said flanges being cooperable with means carried by the car forsupportingy the closure in operative position and the other of saidiianges having a downwardly extending portion cooperable with aremovable closure operating lever.

12. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a closure forsaid opening, said closure involving a plurality of relatively movablesections, one of said sections having a projection overlying and adaptedto be interlocked with a portion of the other of said sections and theupper surfaces of both of said sections being disposed in substantiallythe same plane.

13. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening comprising a plurality of sections, andmeans interlocking said sections for preventing them from moving awayfrom each other in the direction of their hinge axes.

14. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening comprising a plurality of sections, oneof said sectionshaving a portion overlapping and interlocking with theother of said sections for preventing movement of the sections away fromeach other in the direction of their hinge axes.

15. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening comprising a plurality of sections, oneof said sections being provided with a recessed portion and the otherbeing provided with a portion cooperable with the recessed portion forlocking said sections together.

16. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening comprising a plurality of relativelymovable sections, one of said sections being provided with a recessedportion adjacent its free edge and the other of said sections having aportion overlapping the adjacent portion of said rstnamed section andprovided with a downwardly extending projection cooperable with saidrecess for interlocking said sections.

17. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a closure forsaid opening involving two hingedly mounted relatively movable castmetal sections, each of said sections being integrally formed with amarginal iiange at its free edge and with a flange substantially normalthereto, an arm for each section rigid with the said normal flange andprojecting outwardly beyond the said marginal flange, and a plurality ofmovable means secured to the car body and respectively cooperable withthe outwardly projecting portions of said arms for supporting thesections in closed positions.

18. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a closure forthe opening involving two hingedly mounted cast metal sections, each ofsaid sections being integrally foifned with a marginal flange at itsfree edge and with a flange disposed substantially normal thereto andmidway between its ends, an arm rigidly secured to the marginal andnormal flanges of each section and projecting beyond the free edge ofthe section, and a plurality of movable means secured to the car bodyand respectively cooperable with the projecting portions of said armsfor supporting the sections in closed positions.

19. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted cast metal closure for said'opening integrally formed with amarginal flange adjacent its free edge, said marginal flange terminatingin an angularly disposed outwardly projecting portion affording means towhich a door arm may be secured.

20. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening having marginal flanges, the marginalanges at the side and hinged edges terminating in inwardly projectingportions and the marginal ange adjacent the free edge of the closureterminating in an outwardlyA projecting portion.

21. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymountedlcastmetall closure for said opening integrally .formed with amarginal flange at its free edge, said iiangeterminating in an angularlydisposed outwardly Aprojecting portion substantially parallel withthefmalin body portion of the door, and an arm secured to said angularlydisposed portion and :projecting beyond the free edge of the door forcooperating with means carried by the car body to vsupport the doorinclosed position.

22. In a railway oar having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening integrally formed with a marginalflange adjacent its free edge, said iiange terminating in an outwardlyprojecting portion substantially normal thereto, and an arm having aflange rigidly secured to said portion and projecting outwardly beyondthe free edge of the door, and a member movably mounted on the car andcooperable with the outwardly projecting portion of said flange forsupporting the closure in operative position.

23. In a railway car having a lading' discharge opening, a hingedlymounted cast metal door for the opening integrally formed with a flangeprojecting beyond the free edge thereof and disposed in a plane spacedfrom and substantially parallel with the plane of the closure, an armhaving a flange secured to the flange of the closure, and a hookpivotally mounted on the car body and engageable with the flange of thearm to support the closure in operative position.

2a. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a cast metalclosure for said opening having a plate-like body portion, the free edgeof said closure being integrally formed with a marginal flangeterminating in an outwardly projecting portion substantially parallelwith plate-like body portion, an arm provided with a flange rigidlysecured to the plate-like portion of the closure and to the outwardlyprojecting portion of the marginal ange, `said flange of the armextending beyond adjacent portions of the car, and a movable membermounted upon the car body and engageable with the said flange of the armfor supporting the closure in operative position.

25. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure forr said opening, an arm carried by the closure, andmeans carried by the car body for cooperating with the arm to supportthe closure in operative position, said arm being provided with aplurality of angularly disposed portions respectively engageable with aremovable lever adapted to serve as means for lifting the door towardclosed position.

26. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening, an arm carried by the closure, andmeans carried by the car body for cooperating with the arm to supportthe closure in operative position, said arm being provided withangularly disposed portions, one of said portions affording an abutmentfor a removable lever and the other having an aperture through which thelever is adapted to extend, said lever being adapted to serve as meansfor lifting the door toward closed position.

27. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said opening, an arm carried by the closure having aportion substantially normal thereto, and a hook pivotally mounted uponthe car body, said arm having a iiange extending from one side of saidportion substantially normal thereto, said arm having portionsprojecting on opposite sides of s d normal portion rigidly secured tothe angularly disposed portion of the marginal flange of the closure,means movably mounted upon the car body and cooperable with the arm forsupporting the closure in operative position.

29. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, hingedly`mounted closure for said opening having a marginal liange adjacent itsfree edge, said closure being integrally provided with a reinforcingmember disposed inwardly and extending substantially parallel with saidmarginal flange, said member and flange being cooperable with aremovable lever adapted to extend beyond the free edge of the door toserve as means whereby the door may be lifted toward closed position.

30. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for the opening having a 'marginal flange adjacent itsfree edge, said closure being integrally provided with a plurality ofreinforcing members extending substantially normal to said flange andwith a member disposed inwardly of and extending substantially parallelwith said flange for connectingsaid reinforcing members, said connectingmember and flange being cooperable with a removable lever adapted toextend beyond the free edge of the door to serve as means whereby thedoor may be lifted toward closed position.

3l. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted door for closing the opening, said door being provided adjacentits free edge with a marginal flange and with a rigidifying iangeextending inwardly from the latter, said marginal flange terminating inan outwardly projecting portion substantially parallel to the main bodyof the door, an arm having angularly disposed portions respectivelysecured to said rigidifying iiange and to said portion oi the marginalflange, and means engageable with said arm for maintaining the door inclosed position.

32. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted door for closing the opening having a plate-like body portion,the free edge of said door being provided with a marginal flangeterminating in an angularly disposed portion substantially parallel withsaid plate-like body portion, a rigidifying member rigid with the doorand extending inwardly from adjacent the free edge thereof, an armhaving a plurality of flanges, ones of said flanges being rigidlysecured to said plate-like body portion and to said angularly disposedportion and the other of said anges being rigidly secured to saidrigidifying member, and means yengageable with said arm for maintainingthe door in closed position.

33. In a railway car having a lading discharge opening, a hingedlymounted closure for said vided with a marginal flange terminating in anangularly disposed portion, an armrof substantially channel shape crosssection mounted on the door, said arm being provided with a laterallyprojecting bracket rigidly secured to said angularly disposed portion ofthe door, and a member movably mounted on the car body having a portionengageable with said arm for supporting the door in closed position.

WILLIAM E. WINE.

